Extension device



July 9, 1935. I A. F. KRAEMER EXTENSION DEVICE Filed Nqv. 6, 1931 v 4 INVENTOR. i'gyzzdy fiflqe/xzew TTORNEYS.

Patented July 9, 1935 UNlTE-D 2.001537- a I EXTENSION'DEV'IGE 1 7 August F.Kraemer, Providence. R. .ass'ignor to Louis Stern Island Qoinpany, a-corporation of Rhode This invention .relates to an extension device I of the type 'to be positioned intermediate the-ends Anotherobject of this invention is the proof a bracelet, and has for one of its objectsthe provision of a construction which will permit of 1 an enlargement of the bracelet by unfolding; and

which will also permit of a resilient extension that the bracelet-may contract and-holdthe watch or bracelet snugly-about the wrist. l

vision of a construction in which the elastic-ex tension will -be :smooth in its'action in both expan'ding and contracting. a H

1 A further object of this invention is the pro vision of. a construction in-which the sections will closely nest onewithin' the .othentoavoid a bulkyndevice. l I

A :still further object of this invention the provision of a construction in which the end sportions of "thelsections'will conform to the appearance .of the bracelet to cause the extension device to have .a shorter. and less bulky efiect upon-the observer. i With these and other. objects in view. the-invention consists of certain novel features of constr-uction, ;as will .be. more fully describedpand particularly. pointed out the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying. drawing: r

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of asection of a chain with my extension device secured therein.

Fig. 3 ,is'a central sectional' view of the extension and an endglink attached to eachiend-ot the device, With the parts .incentral section,- v Fig. 4 is a perspective .viewlof the .1001: section and the slide, member thereof, with. the box sec-. tion broken away to show the cons'tructionofithe interior thereof.

Fig; dis a. central boxsection. Fig. 6 isa sectionalview on line 6-6 iotFtlg; 2.

'Fig. 'lisa sectionalview on. line l-'l of-.Eig;..2.. Fig. 8 is a sectional View on line 8-8 :of Fig. 3c It has been found. desirable in the, useof watch bracelets to provide an extension device ,to per.- mit the bracelet and watch attached thereto to be removed over the hand of the wearer without detachment of any of theflparts, and it has. been customary to use for such purpose. a folding 6X: tension device inserted intermediate the ends of the bracelet. It is also desirable in the use-lofwatch bracelets to provide an elastic action that the bracelet may snugly grip the wrist to main-.- tain the watch and its braceletinthe desiredpo-g.

sectional the sition along the armwhich was accomplished-at one time by providing link units which hadkelase tically' extendible parts. i-Iowever, in the provisionof elastically extendible unitspthe spring which permits of resilient extension necessitates a link of closed construction.

With" the advent of links having open centers that a cooler bracelet and one which would not cause heating of t-hewrist, the elastic link was no longer usable, and inorder that the resilient action may be attained in a bracelet using open center-links, I have provided the resilient action in one'o-f the sections oi'wan extension device,

- and inorder that the device; which of necessity,

is of :sufiicient thickness to contain the spring may housed withiesser bulk of the entire device, I have cut out the intermediate section to receive :both of these sections between its side walls for compact resting of the parts, and inorder that the device may conform to the appearance of the chain which it is attached, I have out out openings in the channel sections and embellished the edges of the top wall which remain, in the same manner as the links of the chain ornamented and asthe box section with its resilient slide does'not extend the full length or the channel section 1 have formulated a link at the of thesiide generally in the shape'of one of the-linksof thechain with an opening therein to register with an opening in the top wall of the channel section which gives a chain effect to the end of the device and cause the same to be less *promineritso :as not to detract from the chain and this present less bulk in appearance; and

' the' following isa-detaiied description of the pres- Fig. 2 isaside. elevation of the structure .shown 7 V in'Fig. v1.

ent' embodiment of this invention illustrating results may be accomplished.

Wi'th reference to the drawing, It! designates thechannel' section which is provided with a portion of a top wall II and side walls H2. 'The endof the top wall is'rolled to provide an eye 9 t tohingedly receive the end link 14 of a chain.

The opposite end section is designated iiiand is generally box shape a top wall it, side walls llancl a-=b0tt0m wall i8; Within the narrow box section 115 there-is provided a narrow portion for a slide member 1 9 havin'g an abutment end between which abutment end and the'box end wall 2 l a spring 22 extends to move theslide member into the box 15.

r The slide 'is corrcarveas indicated at 23 to conform to the helical spring 22 which rests thereazgainst. It'is toun'd "that by concaving the slide inthis that the spring is guided in its action and auction freer longitudinal movement of 'thisslide with reference to the box is afforded than where the slide is a construction. The free end of the slide is i crmed in the shape of a 24 :at least twice the width of the narrow portion havingan opening 25 which link is considierabiy wider than the concave portion of the member: located in thebox, and an eye 26 rolled on the end of this slide member for attachment to the end link 21 of the chain.

The two sections In and I5 are joined together by an intermediate section 2! which is U-shaped having the bridge portion 28 of the U hingedly received in the eye 29 rolled frornthe top wall l6 of the end section I 5, while .the arms'30 of this section are provided at their ends'with laterally ext-ending projections 3| to pass through openings 32 in the side walls l2 of the channel section to be headed or riveted over as at 33 and pivotally mount this end of the section in position. Openings 34 are provided in the top wall of the channel section and the end opening 35' registers with the opening in the slide member when the device is in folded position to give the effect of one of the open links of the chain in which the extension device is attached.

In order that the sections may be held in folded position I have provided detents 36 on both sides of the box section to snap into recesses 40 in the inner edges of the bars or arms of the intermediate section and adjacent one end thereof as shown in Figures 3 and 6, and I have provided protuberances or detents 31 on the channel walls l2 to snap over and beyond the outer edges of the bars or arms of the intermediate section adjacent its opposite end to retain the sections in foldedposition.

By this construction it will be observed that I provided a foldable extension device which is also elastically extendible when in folded position and which may be secured intermediate the endsof an open frame link chain and one which conforms to the appearance of the chain to harmonize with the effect thereof.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention'being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an extension device a pair of sections hinged together, a slide member mounted in one of the sections, and resilient means to move said member into contracted relation with reference to the section in which it is mounted, said slide member being curved laterally throughout its width, said resilient means also being curved laterally so as to conform with the curvature of the slide member. v

2. In an extension device a pair of sections hinged together, a slide member mounted in one of said sections, and a round helical spring to move said member into the section'in which it is mounted, said member being concaved throughout its width to fit and lie along said spring to assist in providing an even expanding and contracting movement of the parts.

3. In an extension device, a box shape section, a slide member therein, yielding means to move said member into its section, a channel section and an intermediate section hinged at its ends to said box and channel sections for folding of the sections one on the other, said intermediate sec tion consisting of a pair of spaced bars to receive said box section and said channel section being of a size to receive both of said sections between the walls thereof, and means to snap over the edges of said intermediate section to retain said sections in folded position.

4. In an extension device, a box shape section, a slide member therein, yielding means to move said member into said section, a channel section and an intermediate section hinged at its ends to said box and channel sections for folding of sections one on the other, said intermediate section consisting of a pair of spaced bars to receive said box section and said channel section being of a said member into said section, said member being arc shape to conform to the shape of the spring, a channel section and an intermediate section hinged at its ends to said box and channel sections for folding of the sections one on the other, said intermediate sections consisting of a pair of spaced bars to receive said box section and said channel section being of a size to receive both of said sections between the walls thereof.

6. In an extension device, a box shape section, a slide member therein, yielding means to move said member into said section, a channel section and an intermediate section hinged at its ends to said box and channel sections for folding the sections one on the other, said intermediate section consisting of a pair of spaced bars to receive said box section and said channel section being of a size to receive both of said sections between the walls thereof, detent means on said box and channel sections to snap over the inner and outer edges of the bars of said intermediate section adjacent its opposite ends to hold the sections in folded position. I

r '7. In an extension device, a relatively narrow section, a slide member having a relatively narrow portion mounted in said section, and resilient means to move said slide member into contracted relation with reference to the section in which it'is mounted, saidslide member being provided with a unitary. integral enlarged portion at its outer end at least twice the size of said narrow portion and provided with an opening to conform to the shape of the links of a bracelet, and a channel section secured to said section in hinged relation thereto and housing said section when in folded position and having an opening to align with the opening in said slide member when in contracted position.

8. In an extenson device, a pair of sections hinged together to'swing to an end to end relation, one of said sections being relatively narrow, a slide member having a relatively narrow portion mounted in the relatively narrow section, resilient means to move said slide member into contracted relation with reference to the section in which it is mounted, said slide member being pro vided with a unitary integral enlarged portion at its outer end portion at least twice the size of said narrow portion and provided with an opening to conform to the shape of the links of a bracelet, andmeans additional to said enlarged end portion and extending beyond the end thereof to connect one end of said device in a bracelet with said sections in said end to end relation, means to connect the other end in a bracelet, and means to hold said sections in folded position one over the other.

AUGUST F. KRAEMER. 

